Operating mechanism for clutches



Sept. 8, 1931. R. L. BROWN 1,822,335

OPERATING MECHANISM FOR CLUTCHES original Fileduuly 8, 1927 PatentedSept. 8, 1931 UNITED stares v,Pernur OFFICE ROBERT L. BROWN, OFMILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR TO HARNESCHFEGER CORPORATION, OFMILNAUKEE, WISCONSIN, A CORPORATION OF WISCONSIN OPERATING-IV'IEVCHANISJI FOR GLUTCHES Original application filed July 8, 192'?,Serial No. 204,225.

Divided and this application led May 9,

1929. Serial No. 361,566'.

This invention relates to operating or control mechanism for clutchesand is particularly designed 'and adapted for use in oper ating theclutches of a reversing mechanism.

The presentcapplication is a division of the copending application ofRobert L. Brown for trenching machinery, iled July 8, 1927, Serial No.204,225.

One of the principal objects of the vpresent invention is to provide anoperating or control mechanism of this character wherein a singlemovement of a control lever in one direction will engage one of theclutches and release the other and an opposite movement of the controllever will reversely operate the clutches. Y

Another object of the invention is to provide a control or operatingmechanism having these advantages and capacities and which is of simple,durable and compact construction, reliable and eective in operation andeasy and comparatively inexpensive to manufacture.

Other objects and advantages reside in certain novel features of theconstruction, arrangement and combination of parts which will behereinafter more fully described and particularly pointed out in theappended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawingsforming a part of this specitication, and in which:

Figure 1 is a view partly in central vertical section and partly in sideelevation showing a reversing clutch arrangement equipped with a controlor operating"mechanism embodying the present invention;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary perspective view showing the control mechanismembodied in a trencher;

Figure 3 is a lfragmentary plan view of the reversing clutcharrangement; and

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on line 4 4 of Figure 1, with theclutches and other parts omitted for the sake of illustration.

Referring to the drawings, wherein, for the sake of illustration, isshown one embodiment of the invention, numeral 18 designates a casinghaving a bearing 2 supporting a drive shaft 47 driven in any suitablemanner from a suitable source of power. At one end the drive shaft 47 isprovided with a beveled pinion which constantly meshes with a pair ofoppositely disposed beveled gears designated at 156 and 157 (see Figures1 and 3).

rihe beveled gears 156 and 157 are loosely mounted on a shaft 158journaled in bearings provided therefor in the main'section 18 of thecasing and these beveled gears have mounted thereon and fixed theretoconical clutch members 159 and 160. Shiftable clutch members 161 and 162are splined on the shaft 158 and coact with the clutch members 159 and160, respectively. These clutch members are alternately engaged, thatis, the clutch members 159 and 161 are engaged in one adustment and theclutch members and 162 engaged in the other adjustment, and vice versa.

The operating mechanism for the clutch members 159 and 161 comprises ashifting fork 163 cooperable with the trunnions of a loose band 164 madeup of sections suitably secured together andmounted in an annular groovein the hub of the clutch member 161 and a similar shifting fork 165 issimilarly associated with clutch member 162 for controlling its coactionwith clutch member 160. A rod 166 is provided and has its ends pivotallyconnected to the shifting forks 163 and 165 as at 167. Turn buckles 168are incorporated in the rod to provide for adjustment ofthe shiftingforks.

`jacent its extensions 171 and these shoulders 174 engage the bearingbrackets 172 to prevent axial movement of the nut while leaving it freeto rotate. Y

Spring projectedballs or detents 175 are provided on the bearingbrackets 172 and engage recesses on the extensions 171 of the nut toreleasably hold the nut in neutral position.

A guide stud 176vis threaded through the rod 166 and has its lower endslidably fitted in a guide slot 177 formed in the base of one of thebearing brackets 172 whereby the rod 166 is constrained to rectilinearmovement.

With this arrangement when the hand lever 173 is swung in one directiontheclutch members 159 and 161 are engaged and the clutch members 160 and162 are disengaged. A reverse movement of the lever 173 revcrselyactuates the clutches. The control lever 17 3 is connected by a crossbar 178 with a duplicate control lever 173a provided on the oppositeside of the machine to afford convenient control of these clutches fromeither side.

All that is required to manipulate the clutches is a simple pulling orpushing of the control lever and yet in either event one clutch isthrown in while the other is thrown out. A direct and powerful operatingthrust is applied to the movable clutch members and vet little effort isrequired of the operator to effect appropriate manipulation of thecontrol lever 173.

The invention claimed is:

1. Operating mechanism for a pair of clutches enclosed in a casing andcomprising a pair of Shifters adapted to be operatively connected withthe clutches and projecting exteriorly of the casing, a rod connected tothe projecting portions of the Shifters and held against rotary movementwhile free to move bodily to impart operative movement to the Shifters,a screw fixed to the rod, a pair of hearing brackets fixed to the casingand having openings through which the rod extends, a nut meshed with thescrew of the rod and having extensions journaled in the openings of thebrackets, cooperating means between the nut and the brackets forpreventing axial movement of the nut while leaving it free to rotate anda hand lever connected to the nut and operable to rotate the Same.

2. Operating mechanism for a pair of clutches enclosed in a casing andcomprising a pair of shifters adapted to be operatively connected withthe clutches and projecting exteriorly of the casing, a rod connected tothe projecting portions of the Shifters and held against rotary movementwhile free to move bodily to impart operative movement to the shifters,a screw fixed to the rod, a pair of bearing brackets fixed to the casingand having openings through which the rod extends, a nut meshed with thescrew of the rod and having extensions journaled in the openings of thebrackets, cooperating means between the nut and the brackets forpreventing axial movement of the nut while leaving it free to rotate, ahand lever connected to the nut and operable to rotate the same, andmeans carried by the brackets and coacting with the nut extensions forreleasably Securing the nut in an angular position.

3. Operating mechanism for a pair of clutches enclosed in a casing andcomprising a pair of shifters adapted to be operatively connected withthe clutches and projecting exteriorly of the casing, a rod connected tothe projecting portions of the shifters and held against rotaryVmovement While free to ,o

lever connected to the nut and operable to rotate, the same. S0

4L. Operating mechanism for a pair of clutches comprising a shifter foreach clutch, a rod connected to the shifters and held against rotarymovement While free to move bodily to impart operative movement to the:S5

Shifters, a screw fixed to the rod, a mit ineshed with the screw, meansfor preventing axial movement of the nut while leaving it free torotate, and a single hand lever connected to the nut and operable torotate the same. i

In witness whereof, I hereto `affix my signaturc.

ROBERT L. BROWN.

